Gillibrand: Run, Hillary, run

3/21/12 4:19 PM EDT

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand laid down a marker for her preferred candidate in 2016, and it wasn't her home-state governor in New York, via BuzzFeed:

"I'm going to be one of the first to ask Hillary to run in 2016," Gillibrand told BuzzFeed, saying she "certainly hope[s]" Clinton will run for president.

"I think she would be incredibly well-poised to be our next Democratic president," Gilliband said. "I think she's extremely well prepared. I think her experience as secretary of state has not only elevated her stature and experience, but she's proven she's someone who can get things done and I think she'd be an outstanding candidate."

And if Cinton, whose seat Gillibrand was appointed to in 2009, were to decline, who would women turn to as a standard-bearer?